The most patriotic group of individuals found in this country today has just been assaulted by the New York Times and Representative Ike Skelton (D-Mo). I refer to the recent article in the New York Times concerning Military Analysts attempting to convey what is going on around the world from a military point of view. These men have spent their lives being schooled and living these issues. They are an invaluable source of information to the American public. Modern day issues are so complex that it is impossible to define them in a two minute TV segment, and these analysts normally follow up with articles which give greater depth and understanding. Who in this country is more qualified? Everyone I know is grateful for their efforts to add perspective.

The Pentagon realized long ago that news networks valued input by retired military professionals, so information was provided to these individuals. This effort was never meant to sway their opinion, but to insure they had accurate and current information to convey to the public. How many of you have ever tried to sway the opinion of a retired military member who served 20 or 30 years defending this nation? Try it sometime. I think you might be surprised, and maybe even entertained.

I am personally a good example. Altogether, I served over 35 years combined duty in the Army National Guard, Army Reserve and on US Air Force active duty (29 years active duty). I learned early how lucky I was to be born in this country. I have never taken for granted the freedoms we have, nor the price we have paid for them.

When I retired from the US Air Force, I vowed to come back to Montana to fish, fly airplanes, ride motorcycles, and enjoy life as long as health permitted. I had no desire to become part of the Military Industrial Complex (whatever that is), nor to make money based on any ill-conceived plan that could remotely hurt this great nation in any way, as alluded to by master distorters from the New York Times.

I have never taken one penny for my writings, appearing on talk shows, speaking locally or otherwise. I have not been on an Air Force Base in over 10 years, and avoided the Pentagon like the plague, even while on active duty. Also, I initially vowed to remain very quiet, and worked hard not to influence local opinion. It is the American way to let the people decide on issues, based on their own merit.

About two years ago, this attitude changed. I began to see the local, Socialist-Leaning, Far-Left types in our beautiful valley begin to dominate our local newspaper. You know who they are. They write almost daily, and are basically country hating, military hating, Bush hating, haters. Many of you read my articles, and write telling me that you refuse to read their stuff as soon as you see their names.

I woke up one morning and decided that someone had to at least attempt to set the record straight. The far-left diatribes were hurting the country and our state, especially when the country is being threatened to the degree it is today. I wrote an article, and it received such a positive response it was overwhelming to me. The people wanted to hear the truth, so I wrote another. FOLKS, THE PENTAGON HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH MY DECISION TO SUPPORT WHAT IS RIGHT WITH AMERICA!!!!! I take real offense to the far-left comment, “B/G Jim Cash, whose columns are loaded with dire statistics that only a fool would believe he carries around in his head.” What he means is that the Pentagon is feeding me the statistics, so that I might influence you.

This is criminal in my opinion. These statistics are available from a multitude of different sources, and I simply put them together in, hopefully, an easy to read format. In fact, I do carry most of them in my head, as I was personally influenced negatively every time I served under a Democratic President. In this short article, I cannot convey to you how difficult it was to serve under Jimmy Carter. The Clintons like to tell you how terrible it is that our young men and women are serving 15 month tours in Iraq, when Bill Clinton’s downsizing of our military is the direct cause of those long tours. Retired military, as well as active duty, attempted to deter that massive downsizing, but Clinton was Hell-Bent on capitalizing on the non-existent “Peace Dividend” after the collapse of the old Soviet Union.

My friends, someone has to get the truth out to the American people, and the only group I see doing that right now is our retired Military Analysts. All others are wrapped up in petty squabbling and trying to win elections. Now, the far-left has sunk to the level of attacking the most patriotic group in America, our retired military. That is unforgivable.

On a personal note, I know retired M/G Paul Vallely and LTG Tom McInerney very well, and I am proud to call them friends. I would put my life, and the life blood of this country, in their hands any time. Combined, these two patriots have devoted nearly 70 years to defending this nation. If money had been their aim, they could have easily gone into industry to become CEOs of major companies. To make an insane insinuation (as the Times did) that these two men, acting as puppets for the Pentagon, would distort what is happening during wartime is beneath contempt.

It is my considered opinion that the far-left has reached a new low. We have seen all the far-left radio and TV talk shows fail, or suffer low ratings that are leading to failure. This certainly includes the mainstream media. We have seen a few retired military members like Wesley Clark attempt to curry favor with the far left in an attempt to secure Cabinet level appointments should the Democrats win the Presidency this year. We have also seen the Democratic Party take control of our Congress and fail miserably.

On the other hand, we see the Conservative talk shows grow stronger, due in part to their use of military professionals committed to the welfare of this country. I would guess that well over 90% of retired military members are conservative in nature, and they are not reluctant to speak out. First, we recently saw the Left attempt to pass laws that would force radio talk show hosts to give equal time to the Left, as the left-leaning shows could not make it on their own. That effort failed. Now, the far-left, New York Times has convinced Missouri Democrat and House Armed Services Committee Chairman, Ike Skelton, to attempt to silence retired military members though congressional action.. It is as if he feels they are not worthy of the First Amendment’s right to free speech. Like most Democrats these days, he was foolish enough to bite on this nonsense.

My question to the nation is simply, HOW FAR WILL WE LET THESE FAR-LEFT LOONEY-TUNES go, before we vote them all out of office and stop buying their propaganda. I am in great hope that the good Americans of this country can see through the fog created by the far-left in an attempt to win elections, even though logic and truth are, and never have been, on their side.

Jim Cash
B/G, USAF, Retired (and proud of it)